The invention relates generally to holders for food containers, and more particularly to a container holder for use in refrigerated cabinets.
In the past many support or holder structures have been designed for use in refrigerated cabinets to support bulk containers from which various food products can be dispensed, such as ice cream, potato salad, etc. Ice cream for dispensing in bulk at soda fountains, for example, is generally packed in standard 21/2 or 3 gallon disposable fiberboard containers of cylindrical form and, due to the low temperatures necessary to maintain a frozen condition, require a more secure support structure than normal (non-frozen) temperature products such as potato salad. In addition, prior support structures have been relatively complex utilizing extra inserts or camming mechanisms to accommodate various container diameters and vertical adjustments, and to clamp or hold several containers together. Another problem in the past has been the inability to vertically adjust the container and retain it firmly in the holder assembly as may be necessary due to depletion of ice cream or other reasons causing softening of the container (called container collapse). In short, the previous container holders for refrigerated cabinets have presented problems in assembly, usage, cleaning and maintenance or repair.